Michael McAuliffe (drug trafficker)

For other people named "Michael McAuliffe", see Michael McAuliffe

Michael McAuliffe
Born	Queensland, Australia
Died	19 June 1993[1] Malaysia
Conviction(s)	Drug trafficking
Penalty	Death by hanging
Occupation	Bartender

Michael McAuliffe (born in Queensland, Australia) was a barman from Sydney who was hanged in Malaysia in June 1993 after serving eight years in jail for heroin trafficking.^[2][3]

McAuliffe was arrested at Penang International Airport at about 6.20 pm on 29 June 1985 when white powder packed in 14 condoms in his money belt and secured around his waist was detected during a body search at the airport inspection area. McAuliffe was charged with possession of 141.89 grams of heroin.^[4]

The former army reserve soldier, who had been living at Manly in Sydney, was convicted in the Malaysian High Court in Penang on 17 August 1991. An appeal was lodged with the Malaysian Supreme Court. Karpal Singh acted as McAuliffe's counsel at the appeal, at which 28 arguments were presented. One argument was that the original trial judge had criticised McAuliffe for failing to disclose his defense after his arrest. (This defense was that McAuliffe believed he was carrying "bang bang powder", an aphrodisiac given to him by a Thai dance hostess.) Karpal argued that the original judge's criticism had drawn an adverse inference of guilt on McAuliffe. The appeal court heard that what the original judge did was point out that McAuliffe had failed to disclose this defence of carrying an aphrodisiac to the officer who recorded a statement from him after his arrest. It was found that the judge had not drawn an inference of guilt from this. The appeal was rejected 13 May 1992.^[4]

According to the Australian Coalition Against Death Penalty (ACADP),

"McAuliffe never deviated from his story that in Bangkok he met a Thai dancer named Lung Noi who he took home for sex...She produced a white substance, an aphrodisiac she called 'bang bang powder'. She used a portion and McAuliffe rubbed some on his tongue before having sex with her. McAuliffe says he paid the woman $450 for more of the powder, which he put in his money belt concealed under this shirt to save embarrassment if his bags were searched en route to Manila via Penang and Singapore."

Based on available evidence, the ACADP said

McAuliffe's life when he was arrested revolved around "seedy bars, thumping music and cheap sex...There was no evidence the heroin he got caught with was destined for the veins of addicts..."

McAuliffe's family asked Malaysian authorities and the Australian government not to publicise his case.

See also

• List of Australians in international prisons

References

1. ^ "No way out" smh.com.au
2. ^ "Macabre legacy in the hangman's craft". www.news.com.au. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17037828-2,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-10. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Australian drug runner faces death". www.news.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 June 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060621144350/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16990100-1243,00.html?from=rss. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Upheld: Death sentence on former Australian bartender. New Strait Times: 13 May 1992, p.5.

Persondata
Name	Macauliffe, Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth	Queensland, Australia
Date of death	19 June 1993
Place of death	Malaysia